Improvement in car-couplings



E. H. McG-INTY & F. MEAD.

Gar-Coupling.

No. 206,119. Patented July 16, 1878'.

N-PETER$l PHOTD-UTHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON D C UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.-

EDWARD H. MOGINTY AND FRANCIS MEAD, OF CENTRE JUNCTION, IOWA.

IQMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 206,119, dated July 16,1878; application filed May 31, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD H. MoGINTY and FRANCIS MEAD, of the town ofCentre Junction, in the county of Jones and State of Iowa, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in Railroad-Oar Couplers and Uncouplers, ofwhich the following is a specification:

The invention relates to devices for connecting railroad cars at theiradjoining ends, consistin g of a bok draw-bar solid in three sides, andpreferably made of cast-iron, provided on its fourth and open side witha pivoted lever hook-bar, to engage with a link attached in a similarmanner to the adjoining car, preferably, or even when attached theretoin the ordinary manner with a common pin only.

It has been customary to employ a pivoted hook-bar secured in adraw-box, and in some instances in connection with a common link; butfor some reason, although claimed to be simple, and capable in someinstances of antomatic coupling and in others of automatic coupling anduncoupling, it remains substantially the universal practice, withfreight-cars at least, to employ the simple devices of common links heldin the ends of the draw-bars of adjoining cars by pins inserted thereinby the employ standing usually in a dangerousposition between theapproaching cars.

My invention differs from all these in having on the lower lip of thebell-mouthed drawbox and in its longitudinal center a groove and abeveled hook on the hook-bar, which rests therein when engaging thelink. Its object is to provide means whereby the coupling, and also, inthe case of a car leaving the track, the uncoupling, of cars may beautomatically accomplished.

The invention consists in the combination of three elements, viz: apivoted lever provided with a beveled hook, a bell-monthed buffer anddraw-bar, provided with a longitudinal groove in its lower lip, andaloop-link.

In the accompanying drawing, in which similar letters of referenceindicate like parts, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view on theline 00 m, Fig. 4.. Figs. 2 and 3 are front views, the formerrepresenting the positions of the parts when coupled and the latterrepresenting the positions of the parts in the act and instant ofuncoupling; and Fig. 4 is a plan of the coupling devices attached to aframe representing the frame of the ear.

B is the three-sided draw-bar box, and is secured to the frame of thecar in any ordinary way. Its mouth is beveled on three sides, as shownat B B B, Figs. 2 and 3, and B, Fig. 1. In the center of its lower lip,and directly under the hook H, is the groove G. On each side of thisgroove those portions of the lower lip which are undisturbed or remainin forming the groove G constitute shoulders S S, which support the linkL when the parts are coupled, as in Fig. 2, and which detain the linkwhen it is turned or twisted, as by the effect of the jumping of thetrack by the car, and in the act of uncoupling. The lever L has on itsfront or external end a narrow projection, H, beveled on its forwardedge. At the rear of H is a cut or recess, R, which gives the form of ashoulder, S to its rear edge, and makes it a hook, and also gives theform of a shoulder, S to that part of the lever L which is just back ofthe recess R.

The object of the bevel of the front edge of the hook H is to receivethe approaching end of the link of the adjoining car, and by slidingthereon to elevate the forward end of the lever L, overcoming the springS or any equivalent device, until the shoulder S passes the inner edgeof the end of the link L when the hook H will drop by its own weight, ifno spring be used, into engagement with the link,

' as shown in Fig. 1, which is its proper position when the whole deviceis in use as a coupler. The shoulder S receives the end of the linkafter it has passed by the hook H, and prevents its further insertion,and sustains the pressure created when the other end of the link is inthe act of automatic coupling. The lever L is pivoted at 1, and ofcourse moves in vertical lines.

The bill of the hook 11 drops into the groove Gr below the lower levelof the link L as it rests on the shoulders S S, and therefore it retainsits hold of the link securely so long as the adjoining cars are allrunning on the same level. Any change, however, in the level of the carof more than the usual extent begins immediately to move the link out ofits flat position, and to cant it to one side orthe other,

as shown in Fig. 3. In this movement the lower side of the link bearsfirst upon the adjacent shoulder S of the lip, and the upper side bearsagainst the lever on the adjacent side of the hook II, thereby liftingthe pivoted lever until the continued eanting of the link, if it becontinued, causes the lower limb of the link to drop into the groove (1when the link, being at the same time nearly disengaged from the hookII, is easily withdrawn from the mouth of the draw-box. The link L is ofthe usual form, rounded on the ends where it comes in contact with theside lips of the draw box.

(1 is a cam operated by a camshaft, which latter is provided withhand-wheels \Y W at each side of the car, to enable the brakeman todepress the rear end of the lever L while standing beside the car in theact of coupling, and without danger. The efl'eet of depressing the rearend of the lever L is, of course, to elevate its front end and open theway for the entrance of the link attached to an approaching car, withoutdependence upon the automatic action of the mechanism.

L is a lever secured on the cam-shaft (1, to which a chain maybeattached, and extended thence to the top of the car, where, by means ofany of the ordinary appliances used for that purpose, the brakeman maycontrol the coupling and uncoupling while on the top of the car.

We claim as our invention 1. A pivoted lever, L, provided with a beveledhook, II, a bell-mouthed bufi'er and draw bar, provided with alongitudinal groove in its lower lip, and a loop-link, L all incombination, substantially as shown and described.

2. The hook H, bell-mouthed draw-bar B, with groove G and loop-link L incombination.

3. The bell-mouthed buffer and draw-bar 1;, provided in its lower lipwith the groove G, for engaging the link L in the act of uncoupling.

4. The bell-mouthed butter and draw-bar ll provided initslowerlip withthe shoulders S S. for the purpose of supporting the link L and alsowith the groove G, for the purpose of receiving the bill of a hook, II.

EDWARD II. M (1 l l N'IY. FRANCIS MEAD.

Witnesses:

()REN FREEMAN, W. A. 'lnmALL.

